1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a key assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a key assembly which is configured to provide improved click feeling and tactile sensation to a user and an electronic device having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, each of electronic devices such as a mobile phone, a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) audio layer 3 (MP3) player, a tablet Personal Computer (PC) has a key assembly to enable quick and precise control a user wants.
For example, a side key in the key assembly may be divided into two types according to a type of a switch installed on a Printed Board Assembly (PBA). One of the two types is a Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB) type, and the other of them is a tactile or tact switch type.
A switch of the FPCB type does not provide the user with excellent performance with respect to click feeling or tactile response. However, when adopting the switch of the FPCB type, it is necessary to perform a soldering process of soldering the switch of the FPCB to the PBA. Also, because an FPCB itself is relatively expensive, it is common for standard or ordinary devices to adopt the tact switch type. Some cutting edge devices however may adopt the use of the FPCB switch.
However, while in case of a tact switch, has the benefit of being relatively inexpensive, a side key assembly adopting this tact switch can have other problems. The use of a tact switch can cause a result in which there are problems such as a vibration noise and deterioration in click feeling due to the accumulation of various tolerances such as a tolerance of a Surface Mounted Device (SMD) of the PBA and an injection molding tolerance of a side key formed by an injection molding type.
In order to improve a vibration noise and click feeling of the side key assembly adopting the tact switch, injection molding processes and methods must be continuously adjusted. This results in the increase of research and development costs and nonetheless does not provide an ideal solution for an effect for improving the vibration noise and click feeling. In addition, when installing additional portions and components to improve click feeling, space utilization of the side key assembly may deteriorate.